Katuri & Gaara
by Prigonz52
Summary: Growing up with rogue ninja parents, Katuri, a six-year old white-haired girl, never had a real home or friends. But she never complained. After her father got injured they move into the Sand village temporarily. The Fourth Kazekage welcomed them into the village. But his intentions took the turn for the worst for the family. Hope you enjoy the first chapter!
1. Ch 1 What's Happening

**1\. What Happened?**

"Katuri! Isamu, they are here for her!"

 _Who's rocking me...?_ "... Mommy?"

"I know, Katsumi! Katuri, we have to go!"

 _Who's in my room...?_ "... Daddy?"

Katuri, half-awake, did not comprehend what was going on and felt like something was shaking her. It was her parents trying to wake her up. The little six-year old white-haired girl would not get up fully, so her parents delicately picked her up and wrapped her in a blanket.

There was a loud bang that came from downstairs and it startled Katuri's parents. Katsumi held Katuri, trying to wake her up, and Isamu went around upstairs collecting important belongings that will last them for some time-clean clothes for their little girl, her favorite teddy, ninja weapons that are hidden in the master bedroom, and their stash of money in random secret compartments. Then another loud bang, followed by a man yelling, "Hand over the girl and no one gets hurt!" Katuri finally woke up.

"Mommy, what is going on?" Katuri woke up to a nightmare that became a reality.

K&G

Before Katuri was born, her father Isamu grew up with only his dad, a well-known, infamous Sand ninja, and was physically and emotionally abused by him as a child. Isamu decided to run away from his father in his teens and has been on the run ever since. Katuri's mother, Katsumi, was raised in the Leaf village with her pacifist parents, but had aspired to become a ninja to make the world a safe place for everyone. She trained on her own with no one else to teach her the way of the ninja and was successful at that. When Katsumi's parents caught her in the forest practicing and punished her from learning the ninja way she ran away from her sheltered life and became a rogue ninja herself. By chance, Isamu and Katsumi first met in the Sand village and instantly fell for each other. They were inseparable.

Several years later, after her parents brought Katuri into the ninja world, they lived peacefully in the Mist Village and wanted to give her a stable, loving home; a home that neither parent had growing up but can give to their bundle of joy. But as gangs started to emerge from the Mist the family of three packed up and left. After this experience, the rogue couple knew they were meant to not stay in one place and want their daughter to learn and grow throughout their adventures all around the villages. Then her parents ran into a Mist ninja-no, a monster-by the name of Zabuza. Isamu protected his precious girl and beloved wife the best he could, but was defeated by having his right eye slashed off his face. Zabuza, luckily, spared him after Katsumi ran to cover her injured spouse and he left without a word or explanation on why he spared the family. They had to find shelter until Isamu healed up well enough to even make another trip. Her parents found refuge in the Sand Village several months ago. Isamu and the Kazekage were close friends growing up. But Katsumi was always suspicious of the man and never really liked him. She believed that he was always power hungry or always wanted things his way, or else. But as long her husband was by their side Katsumi would not worry for her daughter's safety. They were offered a free place to stay and medical help until Isamu was better. The Kazekage, however, had only one catch: Katsumi had to watch over his youngest son Lord Gaara from afar at night and see if there have been any "abnormalities" with the child. She agreed and did not question the task, for the sake of her husband getting any chance of help in his condition and giving her daughter shelter from the violence.

Katuri felt like she was fitting in. She was given a room to sleep and play in, had access to play with other children of the village, and befriended Temari and Kankuro, the eldest daughter and son of the Kazekage. When her and her parents were on the move they never bothered to stay in one spot. She was conditioned to change since she was a baby. Staying in one place was so unfamiliar to her but she was making the most out of it. As Katuri made herself at home in the small room, her parents allowed her to explore the village. Her parents had always wanted her to be independent at a young age, but would still always be strict on her curfews and such. Because of her father's injury, he had to retrain himself with one eye alongside his old friend the Kazekage. Katuri would sometimes join for practice if she was not busy with Temari and Kankuro. She barely got to see her mother because she was always sleeping during the day and working at night. The only time Katuri would see her mom was when she was cooking dinner for the family of three. She was never told the full details as to why they were staying for so long in the Sand village and why the Kazekage was telling her mom to do reconnaissance, but all she cared about was that both her parents were home safe every single day.

While in the play room, Katuri wanted to ask the Sand siblings a question that's been bugging her since her family moved in,"Temari, Kankuro, where is your mommy? I only ask because I have only met your daddy."

Temari replies, "She is not around anymore because someone killed her." Both her and Kankuro kept a straight face. As if they accepted that their mother is gone forever. Katuri could not wrap her adolescent mind around the situation and felt more sorrow for the two.

Katuri responds back with her condolences,"I am so sorry... I did not mean to hurt you by asking."

"It wasn't your fault that Gaara killed her..." Says Kankuro, followed by a harsh elbow hit from his blonde older sister. "Ow!"

Katuri then asks, "Does Gaara hur- I mean, kill a lot of people? Why hasn't anyone helped him? I am pretty sure he doesn't want to kill... Who is he?"

"Not _who_ , _what_ is more like it..." Temari adds while looking down at her feet and starts sliding her foot on the floor. "It's better to stop talking about _It_."

Katuri knew that nothing seemed to line up, so she thought about what to say next. " _Why would Gaara do such a thing..._ " Then she blurted out without thinking "I would like to meet Gaara one day!" Both Temari and Kankuro looked at her shocked and scared. And Katuri knew that if she were to meet this "thing" then she would need to be brave for her new friends and fight for them. Katuri then adds, "I would like to show Gaara that killing is not the way to go and maybe he can be our friend!"

" _This poor six-year old would never realize that Gaara is our younger brother... and was born a monster and cannot be changed._ " Temari did not want to ruin Katuri's spirit by being a great friend, and same did Kankuro. But they also cannot tell Katuri the full truth since she is too young to understand the turmoil they faced. Then they just thanked Katuri for her optimism and got back to playing together.

Katsumi would always report back to the Kazekage about Gaara's murders, and had no idea why he had this power to wield sand as a weapon of choice and why he wants to kill. She was worried that the other Sand ninja would not want to interfere with his "activities", but it also didn't surprise her because she was aware what he was capable of.

One day while she was out shopping for dinner, Katsumi noticed the young insomnia-stricken, red-haired boy on the swing set watching the other children playing kickball twenty feet away from him. She was watching out of concern for the kids. After some time passed she decided to walk away, until she heard a scream. She turned around and ran as quickly as she could to the playground and witnessed a very surprising scene: the young murderer used his sand to grab a ball that seemed to be kicked up onto a cliff by accident and placed it in his hands. Katsumi kept her distance and readied her kunai knife behind a play set and prepared for her attack. In the night she was instructed to not interfere Gaara's killings, but during the day she made it an exception.

"Here you go," Lord Gaara said while holding out the ball to the terrified kids.

Katsumi was shocked that he was actually aiding the children, not hurting them. She saw kindness, when all of the kids only had fear and anxiety on their faces. " _What am I doing?_ " Katsumi thought." _It was not this child's fault to bare this heinous power... His one and only protector, his father, the Fourth Kazekage, did this to his son. And that is unforgivable..._ "Immediately, she left the scene and did not want to participate in the duty placed on her by the Kazekage tonight.

On the same day, Katsumi told Isamu about what she witnessed. He was aware what Gaara was capable of from what his wife tells him. But he never questioned her safety since she was always cautious. And he started to get suspicious about his old friend the Kazekage as they train more and more each day. The Kazekage started talking to Katuri's father about how corrupt the world was and would always mention a weapon was being produced to protect the village. Its supposed to be even more powerful than the village leader himself. He trusts his wife more than anyone else. So they decided, after eating their dinner and tucking their little girl to bed and locked all the doors, they planned to go and see what secrets their close friend was hiding in the village.

After sneaking around the Sand ninja guards and avoiding security cameras, they find their way into the Kazekage's office. They looked through all of the files and was hunting for files on "powerful weapons", Gaara, and on the leader himself. A few minutes later, Katsumi then noticed a file on the Kazekage's desk with something written down and caused Katsumi to gasp in fear. The file had Katuri's name on it and opened it. There was only one piece of typed paper with a picture of her holding her parents loving hands. The paper read:

Use girl to lure Gaara to test out his true power during full moon. Dispose of parents first.

Isamu crinkled the file in his bare hands while trying to understand the betrayal his "friend" put him through by using two of his family members for his sick experiment. Katsumi was seething with rage and was trying to figure out why he wanted her out every single night watching Gaara's behavior. She was thinking of the possibilities, " _Was it a plot to keep me away from Katuri on a full moon and while my husband was supposed to be resting? Did he try taking advantage of how vulnerable we are apart and pick out me and Isamu separately?_ "

"Katsumi, we have to hurry and leave." Says Isamu, snapping his worrying wife out of thought.

Katsumi gave her strong-willed husband a nod, "Right!"

Then there was a loud bang on the door and it was the Kazekage's voice, "Open up! You are not authorized to be in here!" The married couple booked through the window after the Kazekage barges in with a dozen Sand ninjas. He ordered the ninja to follow Katsumi and Isamu back to their place, kill them, and bring back their daughter alive.


	2. Ch 2 The Nightmare

**2\. The Nightmare**

Katsumi and Isamu quickly escape, Katuri in her mother's arms and her father carrying their important belongings through their daughter's bedroom window. Katuri did not know what to think. " _Why are they attacking us? I thought they were our friends. Temari. Kankuro. I did not even get the chance to say bye to them... and never got to meet Gaara and become his friend..._ " Katuri was tightly embraced in her mother's arms and just heard the brute ninjas yelling "Give us the girl!" Katuri thought, " _Are... are they chasing me? What did I do wrong...?_ " She would not want to ask her parents because she knew now was not the right time. Katuri has always been an insightful girl. She would even make her parents believe that she was not listening in to their conversations after any dangerous situations. But this time everything happened so quickly and sudden she was so confused as to why she was wanted and why her parents are not submitting to their commands. Now all Katuri did was blame herself because now her new friends are going to think she left them behind and her parents are in danger because of her. She let out some tears. Tears of sadness.

Katsumi noticed her young six-year old crying, amongst the chaos that has happened in the last five minutes of her adolescent life. As her and her husband follow to escape the village, Katsumi was thinking about all her regrets and sorrows for her family. She looks back at Isamu with her ice-blue eyes. " _I cannot do much for you, my husband, the love of my life. You have worked so hard, Isamu. Your love for us drove you to become an even stronger, faster, and better ninja for our family._ " Then she looks back to her daughter's sad, blue teary-eyed face. " _And you, Katuri. You are the strongest little ninja I have ever hoped you would be. I know you will grow up kind and smart and loving to everyone you come across. Your daddy believes so, too._ " She then shed a tear herself and had a peaceful smile on her face. "I love you."

Katuri heard her mother's tender voice. The same tone she uses whenever they were in danger and she was upset. She immediately stopped crying to show her mom that she can be brave like her. Katuri says to her mom, "Let them take me. I will be fine."

Katsumi was wide-eyed and noticed the look in her eyes. Her daughter reminded her of someone. But she could not put her tongue on it. But her immediate response was, "No! We are your parents and you are too young to face them. Let mommy and dad-" Katsumi was caught off after hearing her husband yell in pain. She turned around, blocking Katuri's vision, and saw Isamu holding his right shoulder, drenched in blood with a ninja star sticking out from his shoulder. The sight was a repeat from the incident in the Mist village in Katsumi's eyes. She screams out, "Isamu!" Without hesitation, she quickly returned an attack to the ninja that struck her husband and got him right between his eyes, causing the Sand ninja to stop his pursuit and fall.

Isamu did not care about his arm, but was more concerned for the safety and lives of his wife and little girl. He had quick flashbacks from when he met Katsumi in the Sand village. She was perfect from every step she took, to how she even pushed back her silver-colored bangs from her face. She was beautifully perfect. Then remembered the day he vowed to be in her life forever and how happy she was that she was moved to tears. The day their daughter was born was what scared him the most because oh his past with his father. But he let that be his motivator to not repeat his father's action and become the best father for his baby girl and be the best man for his wife. Realizing all of this and even seeing the sight of Katsumi protecting him proved how much love their family had for each other. But it also hurt seeing Katuri in this danger. Isamu also blames himself for bringing his family under the wing of his new enemy. So, he tells his wife the hardest thing to ever say to any loving spouse: "Go ahead of me, Katsumi. Make sure Katuri is safe. Don't look back."

Katsumi's stubbornness was getting the best of her and says "Hell no. We are family so we will stick together as a family."

"Look at our daughter... And tell me if she deserves this."

Katsumi looked at their frightened girl attempting to put on a brave face. Just by looking at her and comparing to not keeping their promise to make her daughter a loving home was like a stab in the chest. "You will come back to us, Isamu." Katsumi looks back at her daughter and remembered who her beautiful young daughter reminded her of. It was herself when she wanted to become a ninja and left her parents. Then she shed a tear with a smile on her face.

"Where is daddy going?" Asks Katuri to her mother.

"It's okay, little one..."

After the familiar voice crept up from behind her mother, Katuri immediately was released from her mother's arms and hit the ground from ten feet in the air. Katuri felt pain for a split five seconds and then slowly sat up. Adrenaline shot up Katuri's body when she remembered they were being chased by a group of ninjas. She got up and found a kunai on the ground and was in a defensive stance. Her body language was more in a defensive way, but physically she was shaking out of fear and facial expressions provoked a sense of being uneased. Her parents were nowhere to be found, neither were the other Sand ninjas and the mysterious but familiar voice.

Katuri was alone. Defenseless. Scared. And open to predators. She shed a tear.

Then she heard a young boy crying from the distance. She followed the voice while being cautious. When you are alone you will find a familiar voice to gravitate to. So in this case a young child was gravitating towards another young child's voice to avoid loneliness.

Katuri crept around a building and saw a young, red-haired boy in a tan colored over shirt. It looked like he was bowing down to an injured Sand ninja and was scared. " _Was she hurt protecting the young boy?_ " This thought made her believe that not all of the adult Sand ninja were mean. But then something happened...

The boy then had sand gravitate up in the air and shielded himself. "What the-" An immediate explosion occurred that almost knocked Katuri into the air, but she got her balanced back and covered herself behind the building. After the dust settled she looked at the boy. She heard of this power existing in one individual. Then she remembered. " _Gaara? Is that him?_ " Katuri then realized that this adult was trying to kill the boy with explosives. She said to herself, "He is not the killer." Before she was about to step forward and care for the boy to check for injuries. Several seconds later she just saw sand basically attack Gaara in the forehead. From her distance, he was screaming out of pain and it seemed like he forced this attack on himself. Katuri was scared for this boy. She knew he was inflicting this pain probably because he felt so much of this amount of pain throughout his young adolescent life.

K & G

Gaara's head drooped down and was panting a lot after inflicting a huge, symbolic scar on the left side of his forehead. He knew that only he can love himself. This realization became real for him after Yashimaru's confession about his parents, his uncle's fake love, and realizing that he is just a monster. Nothing else. He then looks up at a young girl.

The moon caught her white and silver hair and her ocean-blue eyes shining with the lunar light. She was wearing some tan nightgown, so she seemed like she was not supposed to be out here at this time of night. Her facial expression was out of worry than the fear he is used to in the Sand village. Gaara was more upset at the fact this young girl was not swayed at his bleeding face and angry stare. He wonders if she even noticed the altercation that happened not too long ago. " _Why is SHE looking at me like that? She should be scared of a monster, not care for it!_ "

"You! Get out of here if you do not want to die." Gaara's statement was not out of concern for the young girl, but to warn her that he will commit murder. This meant he was done with even trying to make friends and not care for anyone.

The little girl responds back with a small smile, dropped her kunai knife, which brought a questionable expression on his face; and she spoke in a soft voice, "I want to become your friend, Lord Gaara."


	3. Ch 3 My Friend

**3\. My Friend**

Gaara's eyes widened at the girl after her response. What he felt a minute ago, rage, loneliness, sadness, and a strong urge to kill; was gone. Gaara just felt numb and cold and confused. " _Who is this person?_ " Gaara thought. This left him questioning what his uncle told him: that the boy was never loved, cared for, nor had a purpose for existing. He was just left wide-eyed, staring at the smiling girl.

Katuri says to Gaara, "I have been wanting to be your friend for the longest time..." She then approaches Gaara slowly with her hand out to him. "Your brother and sister told me you did not have anyone to be friends with and-" Gaara then pulls up his sand shield between the girl and him, cutting off her speech.

This caught Katuri by surprise and felt a little afraid. Not because he may kill her, but because she was afraid she could not befriend the boy and he is left hurting alone. Like how she is right now. She then shouts "I won't hurt you!"

Gaara immediately got frightened and angry at the same time with what Katuri said. He just could not believe it. Then he immediately started backing away from Katuri. He yells at her, "Don't come near me! I will kill you just for you lying to me!" But he knew he did not have the heart to kill her. Out of all the times he has killed someone, this girl seemed too special to even put a scratch on her. This scared Gaara even more, which caused a slight tear come down his face.

Katuri responds back, "You are not the monster everyone says you are... I know. Everyone is a good person. One way or another." She then walks around his shield, noticing the young boy's tear, but doesn't feel the need to comment. She just smiled knowing that Gaara was who she thought he was: a person who wants a friend. And he had that. Katuri approaches Gaara with open arms, hoping to earn a hug and a friendship.

Gaara felt his heart race and could not find a reason to be mad at her with this innocent request. This left him heart broken, but then healed.

The next second Katuri was hugging Gaara in a warm, tight embrace while he kept his arms dangling at his sides. Now, Gaara believed this kind of compassion and love can exist.

"Just so you know," Gaara starts saying to Katuri, "I have never had anyone given me a hug... just to make me happy."

She then pulls away from the hug and sounded surprised, "You have never been hugged? That is crazy! I get hugs everyday. But I can give you those everyday." Katuri says with a smile on her face.

Gaara was still baffled at what she is telling him. He thought, " _She came at the right time..._ "

That was when Katuri looked at the spot where the injured Sand ninja blew himself up then looks at Gaara. "Do all of the Sand ninjas attack young kids at night?"

"What do you mean?" Gaara asks out of concern for his new friend.

"My mommy and daddy woke me up and we were chased out of the place we were staying at by some Sand ninjas. Now I can't find my parents." Katuri grabbed the boy's hand and looked into his light green eyes and started tearing up out of fear for her parents. Just talking about them made her miss them so much more. "Gaara, please help me find my par-" Gaara cuts Katuri off.

"Shh... I smell blood..." Gaara whispers.

Katuri asks with confusion in her eyes, "B-Blood?"

"Yes. Let's just say I am familiar with the smell more than anyone."

A figure then appeared by the building in front of us, leaning his back and clapped his hands together slowly. "Now you have friends Gaara. Too bad you killed your only uncle." Katuri is familiar with the figure's voice. Then he slowly approached us from the shadows. It was the Kazekage. "And too bad you killed Katuri's parents, as well."

Katuri's eyes were open wide and was in disbelief and shook her head. "N-n-no. He didn't."


End file.
